Cyprus settlement talks at UN fail to find breakthrough
April 29, 2021, 8:50 am

Cyprus settlement talks at UN fail to find breakthrough

Greek Cypriots march peacefully during a reunification rally along the medieval walls circling the divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus April 24, 2021. (Reuters)

Three days of informal talks in Geneva with rival Cypriot leaders failed to find a breakthrough that could pave the way towards resolving the decades-old dispute, the UN chief concluded Thursday.

The United Nations is trying to mediate a deal for the divided island, nearly six decades since it first deployed peacekeepers.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres traveled from New York to Geneva to oversee the three days of talks in various formats, but said they had not managed to overcome the differences between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot positions.

“The truth is that in the end of our efforts, we have not yet found enough common ground to allow for the resumption of formal negotiations in relation to the settlement of the Cyprus problem,” Guterres told a press conference.

“But I do not give up,” he said.

“My agenda is strictly to fight for the security and well-being of the Cypriots -- of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots -- that deserve to live in peace and prosperity together.”

The talks were attended by the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and the foreign ministers of Greece, Turkey and Britain -- the three guarantors of the island’s 1960 independence -- plus the UN.

Guterres said the two sides, the three guarantors and the UN would meet again within two to three months.

“We have been able to agree that I will convene in the near future another meeting of the five plus one -- the five plus the United Nations -- again with the objective to move in the direction of reaching common ground to allow for formal negotiations to start,” he said.

“We are determined to do everything we can to make this dialogue move on and to make this dialogue, at one moment, to be able to reach positive results.”

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey occupied the northern third in response to a coup orchestrated by an Athens-backed junta seeking to annex the island to Greece.

The Turkish-occupied zone later declared independence, but remains heavily dependent on Ankara.

A UN-controlled buffer zone separates the breakaway state from areas controlled by EU member the Republic of Cyprus.

According to Greek Cypriot authorities, the conflict has cost some 3,000 lives, left 1,400 people missing and displaced thousands from their homes.

Negotiations for a solution have repeatedly failed, with the last round stalling in 2017.

source: AFP

Image source: Reuters

Levant

Mohammed Bin Salman’s Mission to Smash the Idols Top ally announces closure of Navalny’s offices amid crackdown

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.